How to Make and Share an Online Christmas List

If you're anything like me, starting in early November you get endless requests from family members for a Christmas list. You can try to remember, or keep a scrap of paper, or even write one on your computer and email it. Wouldn't it be nice to maintain a list online that is constantly up to date? You won't have to remember who you gave your list to ever again. Read on for some simple instructions using Google docs.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Google account

1. Open your web browser and go to Google Docs (link provided). If you aren't already signed into your Google account, you will be prompted to do so.
2. Select "New" and then "Document" from the main menu.
3. Make your Christmas list.
4. Link Button (highlighted) Make your Christmas list more interactive by adding links to products. Highlight an item, click the "Link" button (pictured), enter the URL to the item in the "URL" field, and click the "Insert Link" button.
5. When you have completed your list (for now), click the "Save" button. By default, the first line of text in the document will be the name when it is saved.
6. Publish the document so it can be viewed by anyone who knows the document's URL. Click the "Publish" button. The "Publish this document" page displays.
7. Check the "Automatically re-publish when changes are made" check box so updates you make to the document automatically get published when you save it.
8. Click the "Publish Document" button. The "Publish this document" page refreshes and displays the web site address of the published document.
9. Copy the web site address and email it to your friends and family.
10. When you come up with new items to add, just go back to Google Docs, select your document, edit it, and save it.

Tips & Warnings

• The published document can be viewed by anyone so leave out personal details.